


In Thy Faint Slumbers I By Thee Have Watched

by cheshireArcher



Category: Henry IV Part 1 - Shakespeare
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, heavy on the comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-09-14 23:52:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9210743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheshireArcher/pseuds/cheshireArcher
Summary: ...and heard thee murmur tales of iron war.





	

**Author's Note:**

> An idea I discussed with You Know Who You Are. Simple enough.
> 
> First fic of 2017!

Kate's restlessness woke her husband lying next to her. She slept fitfully, tossing and turning and mumbling, obviously not having any sweet dreams. Harry sat up in bed and watched her, unsure of what to do. He couldn't stand to see her like this. He could make out some of what she was saying. _Cannon. Culverin. Dead soldiers._ A battle was playing out in her mind. She muttered something new. _Harry._ Finally he gripped her shoulder and shook her awake. He had a fairly good idea what was going on in her mind. Her nightmare was about battle.

"Kate! W-wake up, love," Harry said, and the thrashing ceased. He pulled her into his arms and held her close, listening to her ragged breathing, which became a sob as she buried her face in his shoulder. She shouldn't be crying, she shouldn't be scared. Those were the last things in the world that he wanted. Not his perfect, brave Kate. He began to gently rock her, as if he were calming one of their little Percys (who were hopefully sleeping better than their mother). 

"Harry," she rasped. 

"I'm here, Kate," he replied, tightening his arms around her. She was still crying, shaking against him. "W-what happened?"

Kate took a deep breath and Harry used that as an opportunity to wipe the tears from her face- the face he had fallen in love with years ago and missed when he was away at war.

War. 

"I had a nightmare," Kate said, wrapping her arms around him. "I've never had such a bad dream." She burst into tears again, her head dropping to his chest. He tucked her head under his chin and resumed rocking her. When she finally recovered enough to speak, the words tumbled out almost nonsensical, but she described the detail. 

"I saw a battle," she said. "I'm not sure I was there but I saw it and- you, were, I saw you there in battle and got hurt. You did. You were all bloody, you died Harry, you were dead and I couldn't do anything and I heard screaming and the battle but all I saw was you and-" she could speak no more. 

"Hush," Harry whispered, managing to be quiet for once. "I'm here, Kate. You're safe. I'm safe. Everything is alright." Kate heaved another sob- just one- against his neck. "I'm not going away. I'm here."

She pulled away to look at him in the moonlight filtering through the window. Harry wiped away the fresh tears and kissed her, starting with her forehead, then her lips, her salty cheeks, and finally her eyelids, which must have hurt from all the crying. He kissed her temple and lay her down on the bed, laying beside her and pulling the blanket over them. He again put an arm around her, pulling her close. 

"I'll stay w-with you, Kate," he said, stroking her hair. "I'll always be there to fight for you."

"My loyal soldier?" 

"I swear fealty to you, my love," he replied, kissing her temple. It drew out a small giggle and he smiled. "And I'll come home because you're my lady," he added. He could feel his eyelids growing heavy. He waited until he knew she was asleep and he was certain the nightmare hadn't started again. Then he fell asleep, holding her close.

Kate dreamed once again of Harry, but there was no blood. Only love.


End file.
